Alessio Dionisi refused to address speculation about his position on Tuesday night, telling BBC Three Counties Radio that questions about his future at Watford are simply "not for me" to answer. The deflection came moments after a 5-1 defeat at Cardiff completed a four-game losing run that has pitched the Hornets into the Championship relegation zone.

Nine goals in two games

The scale of the collapse is stark. Watford have shipped nine goals across their last two fixtures, following the 4-0 home defeat to Burnley with an equally dispiriting performance in South Wales. By half-time at Cardiff the contest was over, and Dionisi acknowledged as much in his post-match remarks.

"At the end of the first half the match was finished," the Italian said. "It's now important to work and it's my responsibility because I am coach, but it's important everyone takes responsibility."

That collective culpability was a theme Dionisi returned to more than once. "The problem is not one person, it is everyone," he said. "There isn't one player or one person to solve this problem."

Anger after a missed reaction

What frustrated Dionisi most was the manner of the defeat. After the Burnley humiliation, the squad had spoken at length about the need for a different response. Cardiff offered that chance, and Watford wasted it.

"I am angry with me and with my players because after the last match we spoke about this situation and today we wanted another reaction," he said.

The defeat confirmed that the promising start to the campaign, which included a three-match unbeaten run and an opening-day win over Southampton, now feels distant. Four defeats in a row have erased that early confidence entirely, and the table now places Watford among the sides facing a battle to stay in the second tier.

Future in others' hands

When pressed on whether he expects to remain in charge, Dionisi was blunt without being defensive. "I don't like this question because it's impossible for me to answer," he said. "I take the team on the pitch and during the training. That question is not for me."

The answer places responsibility for any decision squarely with the Pozzo family ownership. Elton John, who retains an emotional connection to the club, had already voiced his dismay publicly at the run of results. Whether the board moves to act, or backs Dionisi to find a solution on the training pitch, is the question now hanging over Vicarage Road.

What is not in dispute is that Watford's players and coaching staff must find a way to stop the rot before the relegation picture hardens further. The Championship is unforgiving at this stage of the season, and a fifth successive defeat would deepen an already serious crisis of confidence at the club.

"I take the team on the pitch," Dionisi repeated. For now, that is where the work must be done.

Frequently asked

Why is Dionisi's job at Watford under threat?
Watford have lost four Championship games in a row and conceded nine goals in their last two matches, dropping into the relegation zone. Those results have prompted questions about whether head coach Alessio Dionisi will remain in charge.
What was the score when Watford lost at Cardiff?
Cardiff beat Watford 5-1 on Tuesday night, with Dionisi admitting the game was effectively over by half-time.
Are Watford in the Championship relegation zone?
Yes. The 5-1 defeat at Cardiff dropped Watford into the relegation places after four successive Championship defeats.